System of supplying currents to electric



(No Modrel.) 4 Sheets-Sheetl l.

C. J. VAN 'DEPOELIL SYSTEM or SUPPLYING SURRBNTS To BLBGTRIGRAILWAY SYSTEMS. ANo. 417,122. 'Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

(No Model.) 4 SheetS-Shet 2.

o. J. VAN DBPOBLB. ySYSTEM QP SUPPLYING GURRENTS To BLEGTRIG RAILWAY SYSTEMS., SNO. 417,122. Patented Deo. 10, 1889.

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(N Modelf) SYSTEM 0F SUPPLYING GUSRENTS To ELBGTRIG RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

Patented' Deo. 10, 1889.

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CHARLES J. VAN DEPOEL l, OF LYNN, MASSACHI'SETTS SYSTEM .OF SUPPLYING CURRENTS T0 ELECTRICRAILWAY SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,122, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed April 1151i H39.

Beit known that'I, (,L'ES J. V y1 1- Po'ELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of -Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the System of Supplying Currents to Electric Railway Systems, of which the following is a description, reference 'being had to the accompanying drawing-sand to the letters and `figures of. reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in systems of supplying current to the workingconduct-ors of electric railways. ln lnanyinstances the location of the source of current is necessarily so remote from outlying portions of the line that there is considerable drop of potential in transmitting the supplycurrent from the generator to the workingconductors. A system of auxiliary conductors or feeders extending throughout the entire length 'of the l'ine and parallel with the working-conductors has been used to convey the supplycurrent thereto. This system, however, possesses the disadvantage of requiring feeding-conductors of the same length as the woiking-conductors and in many instances larger in crosssection-in other words, a complete double system of conductors. No parallel fccdiiig-conductors are elnployed by me, the current being supplied to the working conductor or conductors direct from the gencrating-station, and the said working-conductors are themselves of suilicient conductive capacit-y to carry the current between connections lwithout material My improved system comprises a bare working conductor or conductors running parallel to the line of the railway and adapted to supply current to traveling motors, between which and the said working-conductors amoving connection is established in any de. sirable manner. The said working-conductors may be suspended above the track or The supply-current is led from the generatorr through atrunk line, following the most direct a number of short feeders are connected to thel respective sections ot' the working conductor or conductors; and the respect-ive cirinvention.

.curient-consuming devices.

serial lio. 307.131. (No man trunk-line, feeders, and the working-conductors.L4 According to my present invention the working-conductors' are divided into insulated sectio'ns,'whereby ail accident to the conductors of any portion of the line would be localized and the remaining sections left in working condition. lVhcr'ea line of railway is many .miles in length, the supply-current would naturally suffer a loss of potential when transported to the most distant point. As it. is desirable that the actual current supplied to the motors bcoithe-same potential throughout, the main supply-current is sent from the generator to the trunkline and its several branches or feeder-circuits at a potential somewhat above that desired in the working-conductors, and I introduce between the said feeder and workingconductor's or those relativelyshort and near "to the generating-station an adjustable recuits will be herein-after referred toas the- Figure l is adiagrammatic view illustrating an arrangement of trunk and feeder eircuits and a railway syst-em embodying the Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 1 and dilfering therefrom mainly in the disposition of the respective circuits. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the current-controlling ldevices. (Seen in Figs. l and 2.) Fig. l is 'an enlarged detail view showin g an automatically-operated resistance between the feeder and working circuits and showing also the relative arrangement ot' Fig. 5 is also a detail diagrammatic'view differing from Fig. l chiefly in the `form of automatic resistance employed. Fig. 6 also shows automatic means for controlling the flow of current from the feeder-circuit to the working-conductor, but

differing somewhat in construction from that Ico seen in Figs. ai and 5. Fig. 7 is au elevation on an enlarged scale showing means for uniting and insulating the extremities of the conductors ol' adjoining sections. Fig. S is an enlarged detail of the fuse-box and signal.

As indicated in Fig. l, A is the bare working-conductor, which is'divided into nine sections, numbered from one to nine, and is shown as curved to follow the possible route of a streetfrailway, the number of sections and 'curves shown being, however, merely by way of illustration.

The positive or main-supply conductors are all indicated in full lines, and for convenience of illustration the return-conductor and its connections in broken or dotted lines.

In the present instance the generating-station B is located at a point remote from portions of the line and the currents are distributed to the several sections of the workingconductors by a trunk conductor C, from which extend feeders a a? a3 CL4 a5 a el (L8 c, each feeder being connected to one of the sections of the workingconductors. 'lhe trunk-conductor C should oe of greater size than the feeders extending therefrom and its' capacity must be in proportion to the number of feeders and its own length. Further- `more, it ispdesirable, tliough not essential, that the feeders should connect' with their sections somewhere near the central portion thereof, in order to minimize the loss of current in traversing y said working-conductors. A main 'return tru rik-conductor D is also provided, as seen in dotted lines, and the return-conductor is connected to the other side of the circuit of the working-conductors of each section by branch conductors d (Pdt d di d dl d d.

In order to properly regulate and control the supply of current to the ymain workingconductors, it is desirable that each feeder shouldbe connected to only a single section in order that the flow of current to the several sections may be controllable in case of a short circuit on any section, or in case of damage to any portion of theworking-conductors. The return tru nic-conductor D may, however, be connected to the return workingconductors by cross-connections between sections or otherwise, as most convenient, it being desirable that this conductor should connect in every direction and at anypoint that will reduce the resistance of the return-circuit to the lowest possible point. The return workin g-conductor may consist of the rails of the track, the said rails being electrically connccted at their ends and also connected to the return-comiuctor D' by the cross-connections or return-feeders (1 di' d f7" di d d? d"y d, as indicated, although more of the return-feeders may be employed, if desired.

'lhe extremities of the several sections ot' main working-conductor are electrically disconnected, but mechanically united to form a continuous working-line by sections of insulation E, as seen on an enlarged scale in Fig.

7, where E represents alink or strip of strong insulating material-as, for instance, wood or vulcanized fiber-which should be properly filled or coated with a good insulating matcrial to render the same impervious to moisture. To each end of the link E is secured a tapering metallic ear e, which is formed with a groove c upon its under side to receive the conductor A. The said ear e is formed with a vertical aperture el near its wider end and adjacent to its point of attachment to the insulator E, and the conductor is attached by passing its extremity up through the'aperture e?, when -i-t is bent over to form a short kink and then cut oif. The portion of the con`- ductor in the groove E of the ear e is then desirably united thereto by soldering, brazing, or welding to form a permanent attachment. The lower edge of the insulator E should be in line with and extend between the apertures e2 in the ears e, so as to constitute an uninterrupted path for the contact device.

In Fig. 1 the generating-station isindicated as being at a distance from the line of railway and consequently quite remote from its outlying portions. NVith such a disposition of the apparatus and circuits the size and cost of trunkand feeder connections of suicient conductivity to carry the main supplycurrent to all sections of the working-conductor and deliver the same ata standard potential would in many instances be greater than necessary. v

In order to reduce the size and cost of conductors, I findit convenient in manyinstances to generate current a few volts in excess of the desired pressure and to place a resistance in circuit with each feeder, so that the potential of the current supplied to any section may be permanently adjusted and corrected and the` current in the working-conductors be of uniform potential throughout. For example, the current delivered through feeder @5to section 5 will have toA travel considerably farther than through feeder a to section 1. If, therefore, I provide `an adjustable resistance G in the feeder-circuit a', the potential of the current flowing into' the working-conductor in said section can be adjusted to bel equal in potential to that flowing through feeder (L5 and into section 5 without the use of artificial resistance in feeder-circuit a5, and this plan I propose to employ in practice, although it' will be manifestly convenient to have the adj ustablc resistances, as seen in the drawings, in all or nearly all the circuits as a desirable means of adjusting the potential in ease the .trunk and feeder-conductors were not of the co'rreht proportions in the first instance.

In Fig. E2 the circuits andA connections are similar to those already described, except that for illustration a system is indicated in which the generating-station is located in about la central position with respect* to the line of the railway. Such an arrangement of circuits lis of course desirable wherever practicable,

since the size and cost of the distributing- IOC IIO

vsupplied therefrom.

adjusting the potential of the main supplycurrent may be omitted or only used on a few of the shorter feeding-circuits, or provided in all circuits or switched out on the longer circuits, as indicated by the positions of the switch-levers g, for by generatin currentof an initial potential of a very few volts above that desired in the working-conductors the loss in transmission can be arranged to be such as will secure the. delivery of current to the working-conductors at the standard potential.

In order to prevent the flow of extraordinary 'current'. through any of the feeders, afuse-box F is connected between 'each feeder and its section of the workingconductor- The said fuse-boxes also include a 'visual signal, which will become visible whenever the fuse is blown by the occurrence of any trouble-- such as av short circuit on any section-and thus give notice of the fact.

In Fig. 3 the resistance by which the potential of the current supplied to the working-conductors may be adjusted, together with the fuse-box in circuit therewith, are shown on an enlarged scale. The fuse-box is shown in detail in Fig. S. The fuse-box F includes a fusible strip j', normally in circuit between the binding-posts j" fl. A manual switch f is also provided for opening the main circuit around the. supports of the fusible strip for convenience in replacing a blown fuse. A pivoted visual signal F is also provided, said signal being normallysuspended within the box l" by a piece of small wire j", which is attached or connected to the fuse f, so that when thefuse is blown by the passage of an ordinary current the wire f" will be destroyed or liberated and the signal F' allowed to drop downward out of the box into sight. The potential-adjusting resistances and the f use-boxes which are included in the several feeder-circuits are in the nature of permanent appliances, and the fusebox is only intended to be brought into action under extraordinary circumstances, such conditions, in fact, as would otherwise produce serious damage. 'Means for regulating the amount of current flowing to any one section are provided in order that the other sections of the system be not deprived ot' the current necessary 'to operate the motors traveling working-conductor A by the conductor 71.. A movable contact I is arranged 'ro-engage theterminals of resistance ll, and is in electrical connection with the feeder a through conductor 'l'. The contact I may be mounted upon the axis of a drum or band-wheel 1f', around which passes a cord or other suitable connection I', which is provided with afcounter weight o r spring at one end and connected at its other end to the core I`J of the solenoid 7i.. XVhen the core I2 is in its lowest position,

the contact I is in position to 'short-circuit the resistance Il. XVhen, therefore, an abnormal current is flowing through the conductor i, solenoid 71, and conductor 71.',l to the working conductor A, the solenoid 72, will raise the core 12in. proportion to the strength of the current, and as the core 'il is lifted the band I will rotate the drum t" and move the contact in the direction ofthe arrow, thereby introducing more of the coils of the resistance Il into the circuit to oppose the llow of current. y

The working-circuit of a motor-car is indicated in Fig. t by a traveling contact J, engaging the working-conductor A, the said working-circuit extending from the contact J to a fuse-box F and rheostat Il and a motor H2, the other terminal of which is connected to the return-conductor D. A second working-circuit between the said conductors A and D is indicated by the line D2, it being understood, of course, that any desired number of translating-circuits are to be connected between t-he said main and return conductors A and D. In Fig. 5 a translating device, such as indicated in Fig-4, is shown; but in this ligure a somewhat. different form of' automatic current-regulator is seen between the feeder and working-conductors, the said current-regulator comprising two separable contacts, desiryably of carbon, which upon the liow of an abnormal current will be separated, thereby introducing the resistance of an arc of greater or less length, according to the strength of the current, and said are will be maintained until the extraordinary demand forcurrcnt ceases, when thc carbons will again come together and complete the circuit. The conductor t' is secured to one of the carbonsj, a second carbon j', normally in contact with thc carbon j, being secured 'to-the plungeriv2` of solenoid 7:, which is incircuit by conductor 7a with the working-conductor A. A conductor i" connects the carbon j with the lower terminal of the solenoid 7L. Other means for automatically regulating the current between the said feeder and working circuits may be employed-as, for instance, as seen in Fig. where an electro-dynamo motor K is arranged to operate a rheostat il. The feeder d is connected v'by conductor 7:. with one extremity of the resistance H. A rotatabl y-mounted traveling contact 7o is arranged to engage the terminals of the said resistance IIO 4ble contact k.

ll, and is itself in electrical connection with the working-conductor A to complete the feeder-circuit through conductor li.

The motor K is, as here indicated, a series machine, although other forms of winding and connections might be employed. The said-motor l( is connected in multiple arc between the main and return conductors of the working-circuit. One terminal of the motor is in circuit with the workiiig-conductor A through conductor l, of the motor is connected by conductor l with a solenoid M, which connected to the returnconductor D by conductor l2. 'lhe commutator-brushes -m m. are secured or connected to an actuating-lever (Y), which is provided at one extremity with an adjustable tensionspring Q., and'at its opposite end is connected to the iron plunger q of the solenoid M.

A band-pulley or lother suitable device R.

is secured upon the armature-shaft of the mot/ox,` K and is connected by a belt r with a similar pulley r upon the axis of the mova- The motor-circuit may also be provided with an indicator s, by which the current upon the line will at all times be shown. With this or an equivalent arrangement upon the presence of an abnormal eurrent in the line-conductor A the solenoid M will draw in its core q, shifting the commutator-brushes in the direction to cause rotation of the armature of the motor and movement of the contact 7,1' in the direction ofthe arrow, thus switching in more of the coils of the resistance ll. As the current drops in the main conductor the motor will cease to operate, the solenoid M will become wealtened, and the retracting-spring Q Will return the parts to a position of equilibrium which is that here shown.

As indicated, current will at all timesbe passing through the motor-circuit, butI the tension of the spring Q should be adjusted so as to Overualance the power of the solenoid M until the flow of current through the motor-circuit becomes such as to require the introduction of an additional resistance in the feeder-circuit when the power of the solenoid, will be sufficient to overcome the spring Q and set the armature in motion.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

l. A system of supplying currents to electric railways, comprising normally-charged \`\'o1kingconducto1s extending along the line of way, a trunk-line shorter than and of greater current-carrying capacity than the working-conductors and extending from the source of current into the main field of distribution, and feeders connecting the working conductor or conductors with the trunk. at dierent points along its length.

il. A system of supplying currents to electric railways, comprising Working-cond uctors extending along the line of Way, a trunk-line comprising positive and negative conductors and the other terminal,

both shorter than the working-conductors and extending from the source of current into the ield of distribution, and feeders connecting the workiug-comluctors with the tru ult-l inc.

3. A system of supplying currents` to cloctric railways, comprising the combination of a normally-charged sectional working couductor or conductors, a trunk-line shorter than and of greater current-carryin capacity than the worlti11g-conductors and extending from the source ol' current into the main field of distribution, and feeders connecting one side of the trunk-line with the separate insulated sections of wcrkiiig-conductor.

l. A system of supplying currents to electric railways, comprising an iusulatedsectional Working-conductor of one polarity, a suitable return-conductor therefor, a trunkline shorter than and of greater current-carrying capacity than the said working-conductor and connected at intervals thereto, the insulated. side of the trunk-line being connected to the insulated Working-conductor and its other sideto the working-return.

5. ln a system ot' supplying currents to.

electric railways, a sectional working con-- ductor or conductors, a source ot' electricity remote therefrom, a trunk-feeder shorter than and of greater current-carryin g capacity than the Working-conductors and extending from the generator to the main field of distribution, feeders connecting the trunk with the several insulated sections, and means tor equalizing the potential of the current supplied to all of the said separate sections near and remote of working-conductor.

6. In a system of supplying currents to electric railways, the combination of a sectional working conductor or conductors, a source of electricity remote therefrom,a trunkline shorter than and of greater current-carrying capacity than the Working-conductors and extending from the generator to the main field of distribution, feeders connecting the trunk with the several insulated sections, and means for equalizing the potential of the cnrre'nts delivered through the trunk and feeders lto the said separate sections of workingconductor comprising adjustable resist-ances placed in a plurality of the feeder-circuits.

` 7. In a 'system of vsupplying currents to electric railways, the combination of a seetional Working-conductor, a source of electricity remote therefrom, a truuk-feeder extending from the generator to the main field of distribution, feeders connecting the trunk with the several insulated sect-ions, an adj ustable resistance in each feeder-circuit, and a safety device also included in each feedercircuit.l

S. In a system of supplying'currents to electric railways, the combination ot' main Working-conductors divided into separate inA sulated sections, a trunk-feeder shorter than and of greater current-carrying capacity than the line of Working-con dnctorahranclies sup-- fuse is blown'the signal will be released.-

' tion arranged in 445 plyingl dnrreul. seprn-alely ing-conductor and rheostat, a plunger for Anormally forming a partlof thel supply-cirthereto from the trunk-line, and au autinna-lie currenlfregln lalor included between each feeder and ils section nl the working-conductor.

ll. ln a system ol tricrailways, the combina-limi ol` main working-conductors divided into separate insulated sections, circuits short-er than said working-conductors as a whole and sul'iplying cur rents separately thereto from a su itable source, and an automatic current-rcgulalor between each feeder and its section of the workingconductor, comprising a rheostat, a movable contact for switching in or cutting out more or less of the' coils of the rheostat, cotilleotions' between the movable contact and the feeder, a solenoid in circuitbetween the worksaid solenoid, and connections between the core of the solenoid and the movable contact, whereby more or less of the resist-ance is placed in or withdrawn from the feeder-circuit.

l0. In a system of'su ppl yin g currents to electric-railways, the combination, with a sectional workingconduetor and feeders for each section thereof, of a fusebox'for each fcedercircuit, said fuse-box'comprising a fusible supplyingcurrents teclee strpbctween fixed terminals aud a movable signal device normally sustained within the boxv by a fragile connection arranged in proximity to thel'usible strip, whereby when the ll. In a system of supplying cu rren ts to electrie railways, the combination of a sectional working-conductor,` a trunk-line shorter than and of greater eurrent-carryin g capacity/than the working-conductor, vfeeders extending` from' the trunk to each section thereof, a fusebox for each feeder-circuit, said fuse-box comprising a fusible strip between lxed ter1ninals, and a movable signal device normally sustained Within the box by a fragile connecproximity to the fusiblestrip, whereby Whenthe fusev is' blot 'n the signal will be released. 12. A fuse-box comprising a fusible strip enit, a manual switch for opening said eireuit when replacing a blown fuse, and a sigf i nulil-ng device hinged orpivoted within the luso-box above an `opening therein and lnormally sustained inside the box by alragile (unnnwlion secured or connected to l-he Fuse and adapted lo be destroyed when the fuso is blown, and thereby to liberate lhe signal, allowingthe same to move downward through the-opening in the box into sight.

lil. In a system ofsupplving ein-reni to electric railways, asectional working-conductor and means lnr connect ing unit insulating the ends ot the sections thereol', comlnising a section ol' insulating material, ears or hails secured to the extremity thereof and. formed with grooves along their under edges and with upwardly?extending openings therein adjacent to the ends of the insulating-link, and conductors permanently secured in the grooves in the ears and having their ends passed upwardly and securedy in the open ings therein.

14. The combination, with theterminals-ol' worling-eonductors, of an insulating section, metallic ears secured to each end thereof and formed with grooves along their under sides to receive the said conductors, and also formed with upwardlyextending openings adjacent to lheir point oi' attachment .to the insulat ing section, and conductors secured within the grooves ofthe ears and having their ends passed upwardly throughthe openings therein.

l5. In a system of supplying currents to electric railways, the combination, with normallycharged sectional main workin g-conductors and a continuous return-eomluctor arranged .for multiple-arc distribution, of feeder-eir-- cuits extendingbetween the source of current and each insulated section of the working-conductor, a main return-conductor, and a plurality of connections between said main return-conductor and the return working-conductor. v

In testimony whereof. Il affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. VAN YlilPOlCllC. Witnesses: L

FRANKLAND iL-luxus, CHAVS. l1. Srtn'rnuwix 

